June 1, 2020
Due to travel restrictions, plans are only available with travel dates on or after
Due to travel restrictions, plans are only available with effective start dates on or after
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Travelers who are Black often highly prioritize visits to historic and cultural sites, fellowship, and safety in their travel choices, according to Mandala Research, an internationally leading tourism research company.
Black travelers have added significantly to the U.S. travel and tourism economy, with an increase in spending from $48 billion in 2010 to $68 billion in 2018, According data from Mandala Research. Black travelers seeking cultural and heritage experiences spend the most, $2,078 per trip versus $1,345 for all African American travelers, Mandala research found in a recent survey of 1,700 respondents who are Black travelers.
But the enthusiasm of Black travelers, while high, is guarded, says an article on Black travel by NewsOne.com, a leading digital news source for Black Americans.
“When researching popular destinations, Black jet setters are often weary of booking travel to places where they may face discrimination or racism,” NewsOne.com says. “Trust and safety are always at the top of their list.”
In the Mandala Research survey on Black travel, 15 percent of respondents said “concerns about racial profiling play a role in their travel decisions.”
Black Americans often use travel as a tool to confront the complex and heartbreaking history of the African diaspora. Of the cultural African American travelers surveyed by Mandala Research, 64 percent said “the availability of African American cultural and heritage attractions is very important to their choice of destination for their leisure travel.” And 43 percent of respondents traveling for family reunions stated that African American cultural and heritage attractions are a significant draw.
Here are some of the top national and international destinations for Black travelers based on thrills, leisure, welcomeness, and history.
West African Ancestral homelands such as Ghana, Benin and Togo have largely attracted Black Americans in search of connection to their ancestry. In 2019, Ghana launched The Year of Return, marking 400 years since the first enslaved Africans were brought from West Africa to what is now the U.S. The multi-year campaign aims to promote global tourism to Ghana and to draw Black Americans to connect with their roots. Learn about the solemn history of the Transatlantic Slave Trade at sites such as Elimina Castle is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. First established as a trade settlement by Europeans, the castle became a large hub the Transatlantic Slave Trade. For nearly 300 years, people who were enslaved were detained in horrific conditions at Elimina and tortured before being trafficked to the Americas. Other prominent memorial sites include Black Star Square and Nkrumah Memorial Park.
Visit the National Voting Rights Museum and Institute in Selma, Alabama, which honors the brave activists who participated in the 1965 Selma to Montgomery Marches, and the history of the passing of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. You can visit the churches where the marches were organized and the Old Depot Museum’s civil rights room to see hospital logs detailing the injuries of marchers on Bloody Sunday. Take a quiet moment of Remembrance at the Civil Rights Memorial Park. Walk the footsteps of protestors on the Edmund Pettus Bridge.
The International Slavery Museum was opened in Liverpool, England on August 23, 2007. Fittingly, that day marked the bicentenary of the abolition of the British slave trade. Located at the city’s Albert dock, the museum is yards away from where 18th Century slave trading ships were repaired and fitted out. The International Slavery Museum details Liverpool’s involvement in the Transatlantic Slave Trade:
“From about 1500 to about 1865, millions of Africans were enslaved and transported across the Atlantic by Europeans and Americans as a labour force to work, especially on plantations. Liverpool ships carried about 1.5 million enslaved Africans across on approximately 5000 voyages, the vast majority going to the Caribbean. Around 300 voyages were made to North America - to the Carolinas, Virginia and Maryland. The ships returned to Europe with goods such as sugar, cotton, coffee and tobacco. Liverpool grew rich on the back of trading in enslaved people.”
The museum explores Britain’s involvement in the trade of enslaved people, from its historical significance to its modern impacts. Additionally, many exhibitions foster discussion of modern day slavery across the world and civil rights violations.
If you’re a music lover, visit the Colored Musicians Club & Jazz Museum in Buffalo, New York, an African American jazz club in operation since 1917. The site was famous as a place where renowned Black jazz icons, such as Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington, socialized, rehearsed and performed. In 1999, the Colored Musicians Club was designated a historical preservation site and its first floor serves as a multimedia museum showcasing jazz music and memorabilia.
The Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center, located near the falls, was the final stop on the Underground Railroad before Canada. The museum tells the stories of people who escaped slavery on the Underground Railroad and abolitionists in Niagara Falls. While you’re in town, check out the Nash House Museum and The Freedom Wall.
Are you in love with shopping and luxury? If so, then Dubai is the ideal destination for you to relax and is known to be safe and welcoming to Black travelers. In fact, there is a thriving international expat community, many of them Black professionals across multiple nationalities, who are contracted to work and live in the city. This Black community abroad makes Dubai a great place to socialize. Check out the positive experiences Black American women have had living, playing and working in Dubai in articles by Essence and Black Enterprise.
In Green Book Global, a resource guide for Black travelers, Florence, Italy was the most highly rated major European city for safety for Black travelers. Enjoy Florence’s incredible cuisine, and wine from the Chianti region. Visit famous museums, including Uffizi Gallery and the Accademia Gallery, home to the world’s most famous works of art, including Michaelangelo’s “David.”
This Asian archipelago nation is known for its gracious nationals, beautiful beaches and excellent food. It’s also an affordable destination, popular with Black travelers. World Nomads has the following to say about the fun to be had in the Philippines:
“It’s a fantastic country for experiencing new things. Snorkel with the turtles in Moalboal, enjoy the thrilling nightlife in El Nido, swim and kayak on one of the 7,600 islands, or relax in the sleepy town of Coron.”
Located 650 miles off the coast of Cape Hatteras, Bermuda is known for its incredible white sand beaches, nature and water parks, and maritime culture. Building Bay Beach is covered in brightly-colored sea glass. Located on the Island of Saint George, the beach is fairly secluded. Horseshoe Bay is one of the most well-known pink sand beaches in Bermuda. Learn about Bermudan Flora at the Bermuda Botanical Gardens or enjoy water sports at Snorkel Park.
Attracting more African American tourists is a key part of Bermuda’s economic initiatives, says Kevin Dalllas, former CEO of the Bermuda Tourism Authority:
“Increasing the number of African American travelers to Bermuda is a strategic goal … we believe our destination has the cultural touch points that make African American travelers feel right at home out here.”
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